Digital Media Academy

The Most Selective Hiring in the Camp Industry

DMA’s hallmark is its superior instructors. Other summer computer camps, by necessity, hire young people who are often barely out of high school as lead instructors. They both teach and supervise campers, working day and night. So how does DMA do it differently?

Experienced & Focused Lead Instructors

At Digital Media Academy, we have a different approach. Our lead instructors have a level of expertise you simply will not find at other computer camps. They include outstanding classroom teachers and real-world industry professionals who have a passion and a knack for teaching kids and teens. We invest in top-notch instructors. Our lead instructors are older, more experienced, more professional, and are paid more than those at other computer camps – and it shows. Take a look at our instructor bios below.

Lead Instructors with Teaching Assistants…. The Key to Success

A key element to our success is that all of our courses have lead instructors who also get support from teaching assistants. We carefully select energetic, personable teaching assistants/counselors who know technology and who know kids. They’re knowledgeable about technology but they major in fun. Our course teaching assistants and counselors are young adults, most of whom are a full 21. By having both lead instructors and teaching assistants in our courses, we ensure that our staff are refreshed and motivated each day and that the students get more individualized attention. You won’t find this arrangement at other major computer camps.

Separate Daytime and Nighttime Staff

In addition, we have separate instructional staff and counselors in the evenings who provide activities and supervision for students who are taking part in our extended day or overnight programs. This arrangement allows our instructors and teaching assistants to focus on providing an amazing learning experience during the day and our overnight counselors to do the same at night. It all adds up to focused and alert staff and the best possible experience for our students!

Instructor Bios for DMA Teen Program

Digital Filmmaking – Video/Audio Production & Post Production Instructors
3D Modeling, Animation & Game Design Instructors
Programming & Robotics Instructors
Web Design, Flash, Digital Photography & Photoshop Instructors
Action Sports & Media Combination Instructors

Instructor Bios for Kids Adventures/Jr. Adventures Program

Filmmaking, Acting, Drama and Special Effects Instructors
Web Design & Flash, Digital Art and Photography Instructors
Robotics & Programming Instructors
Game Design/Modding Instructors
Comic Creation & In Cartoon Creation Instructors
Green Power & Digital Media Instructors

Instructors for Teen/Pre-Teen Digital Filmmaking – Video/Audio Production & Post Production

Tyler Winick

Tyler is an audio engineer, videographer, editor, graphic designer and teacher. He received a BAS in Sound Arts in 2005 from Ex’ Pression College in Emeryville, CA. In 2006 he jumped on board the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus and has been working there for four years. While on board Tyler received training in video shooting, editing, and lighting techniques, and in the process received many software certifications. He is now the Creative Coordinator for the Lennon Bus and an Apple Certified instructor for Final Cut Studio and Logic Studio. Tyler also enjoys playing drums, making music, and teaching others what he has learned.

“Seeing lightbulbs turn on for people is an inexplicable joy. When I am teaching for DMA, hours seem like minutes and days fly right by. I never thought I’d become a teacher, but now I can’t see myself doing anything else. Knowledge is endless. I always tell my classes I learn from them, too, so keep your minds open because you never know what could come inside.”

Katy grew up in a valley east of LA, although she now considers herself a New Yorker. As an exchange student in Germany after high school, she learned a second language and went on to pursue degrees in sculpture and German as a Mylonas Honorary Scholar at Washington University in St. Louis.

During her undergraduate studies, she spent several semesters abroad in Italy and Germany, where she studied visual art, documentary filmmaking, and German cultural studies. She also directed and shot two short documentaries — one about Berlin’s Islamic headscarf debate, another about an Indian family’s love of food and struggle for identity — that transformed her interest in film into a career aspiration.

As a Fulbright Scholar in Berlin, Katy met three Turkish women who became the subjects of InsideOutsiders, a documentary about female Turkish-German identity. The project took Katy and her cinematographer, Anna Intemann, all over Turkish Berlin and into Istanbul and Eastern Anatolia.

Katy moved to New York in 2006 and soon thereafter was accepted into the prestigious Master of Filmmaking program at NYU. At NYU Katy honed her skills in cinematography and shot seven of her colleagues’ shorts on film, HD, and DV. She spent her third year of coursework as a Graduate Assistant in Cinematography, a fellowship that allowed her to assistant teach camera classes, shoot films, and work closely with faculty members Tony Jannelli and Sandi Sissel, ASC.

Katy remains dedicated to writing and directing. In 2011, she will return briefly to California to direct her NYU thesis film, a comedic short that she plans to develop into her first feature film.

Currently a thesis student at NYU’s prestigious Graduate Film conservatory, Lee is a New York City-based writer, director and freelance editor. Well-versed in every aspect of filmmaking — he’s written several features, directed several short narratives and documentaries, and edited numerous projects — Lee has shared his knowledge of filmmaking with his students at Digital Media Academy for several years. While storytelling is at the core of Lee’s lesson plan, he is also an expert at teaching the technical aspects of filmmaking — shooting in HD, editing with Final Cut Pro and outputting to DVD — in such a way that it is no longer intimidating but quite intuitive and approachable.

Lee is currently in pre-production for his first feature-length film.

“When you’ve made up your mind to become a filmmaker, the cameras and lights and software — all the technical stuff — seem less like obstacles but more like tools of the trade, and learning how to use them seems less like a chore and more like a privilege.”

Melanie holds an MFA degree from Stanford University’s program in Documentary Film & Video and a BFA from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. She has collaborated on projects for The Travel Channel, The History Channel, and for theatrical release. Her short films have garnered awards and have screened at international festivals such as the True/False Documentary Film Festival, the World Shorts Film Festival in Toronto, the Palm Springs International Shorts Festival and Big Sky. Documentaries include A Different Color Blue, My Name is Sydney, The Secret Life of Beards and Leaving Paradise: The Jews of Jamaica.

Learn more about Melanie’s films at www.whistlefilms.com.

After graduating from UCSC with a degree in Film and Digital Media Production, Travis has worked in the video production industry as a freelance artist and takes on the role of an Instructor/Director for Digital Media Academy in the summer months. Over the past seven years, Travis has been the director of photography on four music videos, worked as the lead editor for the television series Hawaii Love Stories, developed a fast-order DVD system for Sea Life Park, shot and edited several corporate videos as a freelance videographer/editor, and also completed a 20-minute extreme sports video which played in several venues. Travis edits with Final Cut Pro on a daily basis and travels around the country teaching it to both teen and adult students. Travis’ background in sports started at an early age. He grew up playing all the mainstream sports, including baseball, football, and soccer. In 1985 Travis got his first skateboard and has skated ever since. As a teen, Travis competed in the United States Amateur Snowboarding Association National Championships. Travis is actively pursuing his dream to combine his passion for extreme sports with his technical background in film/video production, and enjoys teaching it to everyone. With an abstract editing style and viewpoint, Travis seeks to create a unique approach that breaks conventional norms and attracts extreme sports fans everywhere.

Jenn is widely regarded as one of the nation’s top up-and-coming directors. Jenn’s short films have played in over 100 film festivals; top awards have included a college television award (EMMY), a Student Academy Award finalist, the “Jury Prize” at the Bologna International Women’s Film Festival, and the Audience Award at the Night Gallery Film Festival.

Jenn holds an MA in Media Studies and an MFA in Directing from the University of Texas at Austin’s film program, where she studied as a Pic Wagner Fellow. Since then Jenn has directed several documentary and narrative shorts that have won awards and have been showcased at film festivals internationally. Her work has been reviewed in national publications such as Curve Magazine and The Austin Chronicle. Jenn also freelances as a director-for-hire, assistant director, editor, sound designer and sound mixer through her company Ginjar Productions.

“I look forward to each summer when I get to teach the adults and teens that take my classes at DMA. I have stayed in touch with several of my students over the years and enjoy watching them expand their horizons and grow with the skills they learned in my class and from each other. It’s such a rewarding teaching experience.”

Seamus moved to the Bay Area from Michigan to attend Ex’pression College of Digital Arts, where he earned a BAS in Sound Arts. Before he even finished his schooling he found himself working on board the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, where he spent nearly two years traveling around the United States and producing digital art with students of all ages. The time he spent on board the bus afforded Seamus the opportunity to become skilled and certified in many of the mainstream software tools used today, including Final Cut Pro Studio, Logic Pro Studio, Pro Tools, Avid Media Composer, and CS4. He has worked not only with students but also with artists such as will.i.am, Natasha Bedingfield, Yoko Ono, Richard Dreyfus, and The Bacon Brothers. He has produced over 50 music videos, directed several documentaries and short films, and has engineered and produced countless recording sessions. When he is not inspiring today’s youth with digital art production through DMA, Seamus freelances in the Bay Area. He is the Senior Producer for the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus and a working partner with GoodSire Media.

“Your brain is a little sponge that soaks up everything in life, the good, the bad and the ugly. I like to use MacBook Pro’s and squeeze those little sponges. I’ve found that no matter what that little sponge soaked up, when you give it a little squeeze art always comes out. Amazing.”

With an Associate of Arts degree in Film Production and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Digital Art from Chapman University, Nick has traversed a variety of positions within the entertainment industry. His passion lies in creating high-profile visual effects and energetic motion graphics using programs such as Nuke and After Effects. He has worked as a visual effects artist for several short films, commercials, and music videos, as well as a feature film selected for Slam Dance Film Fest. He enjoys helping others learn and is always trying to expand his knowledge.

“Bring on the questions! With DMA, the environment for learning couldn’t be better.”

Anthony is a graduate of California State University, Monterey Bay, and holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Film Directing from the UCLA School of Film, Theater and Digital Media. While attending UCLA, Anthony wrote and directed numerous shorts and documentaries, winning numerous awards and fellowships. In 2004, Anthony’s advanced graduate short film “Diego” won the Distinguished Student DGA Award for Best Latino Film. Anthony’s films have screened around the world including at the Cannes International Film Festival, the Mill Valley International Film Festival, the New York Latino Film Festival, and numerous other top festivals. Anthony has been working with DMA since 2008, teaching both the Discovery and Teen Hands-on Digital Filmmaking courses. When not teaching or filmmaking, Anthony enjoys spending time with his fianceé and their dog Wrigley.

“I love when I see the precise moment a student realizes his or her creative and technological ability. DMA is the perfect place for young people to fully explore their creative aspirations.”

Thomas is a Digital Design instructor who focuses primarily on the field of motion graphics. He has a Masters degree in Technology Education and is a Certified Expert/Instructor in many Adobe Applications. His freelance motion graphic work has been used in both feature films and documentaries. He has been an instructor with Digital Media Academy for the past three years in both the Adventures program and the Professional Motion Graphics courses. Thomas has led seminars for industry professionals on the newest releases of Adobe After Effects, to illustrate how they can use the new tool sets and features and streamline their workflow. He has served as the Director for DMA’s summer courses offered at the University of Pennsylvania in 2009 and at Drexel University and Swarthmore in 2010.

“There is nothing more gratifying than the feeling I get when teaching something new to a person and witnessing their enthusiasm when they realize how they can apply it to their own personal work. The field of Digital Design is my passion and nothing is more powerful than a class full of creative minds feeding off of each other.”

A full-time Graphic Design and Video Production instructor, Kevin is also a working designer and editor with expertise in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects, Soundbooth and Premiere Pro. Kevin’s clients have included Trader Joe’s, USA Track and Field, the California DNA Project, Stanford Athletics, Marconi Society, and others. As a member of Adobe’s acclaimed Educational Leaders Program, Kevin also has beta-tested new software releases, contributed to Creative Suite launches (including CS4 and CS5), and taught at various trade shows for Adobe. In his capacity as a teacher, Kevin is presently in his twelfth year of teaching at Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose, where his students have been accepted to study film, design, and architecture at NYU, USC, OTIS, UCLA, and other acclaimed university programs.

A two-time Olympic team member (hammer throw, 1996 and 2000), Kevin is equally proud to be a member of the DMA team.

“I love empowering people with creative technology. There is a moment when a student suddenly realizes ‘I can do that’ – and everything changes. From that point on, they are participants in a world that they formerly only observed from the outside. Essentially, creative technology allows people to find a new voice and a new way of looking at the world.”

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Instructors for Teen/Pre Teen 3D Modeling, Animation & Game Design

Oliver Barraza

Oliver’s love of video games began as a young child and he never stopped chasing his dream. Now he is glad to able to help fuel the dreams of kids from all around the world. Oliver is a graduate of the Art Institute of California – San Francisco with a BS in Game Art and Design and a love for teaching. He has worked on numerous video games for the PC, PS3, XBox360 and iPhone. When he is not teaching at DMA he is a full-time 3D artist creating characters, monsters, costumes and levels for all sorts of games. He sometimes freelances as a 2D illustrator. Off the clock, Oliver writes fantasy novels and spends time with his wife and German shepherd.

“Watching kids’ eyes light up as they learn something new, put it to use, and play it with their friends and family is the best part of my job.”

David has been teaching 3D game art and special effects for the film industry since 2006. He is currently living in San Diego where he teaches a variety of classes at Platt College. His classes include Intro to Maya, Dynamics, Advanced Rendering and Lighting, Compositing with Boujou, and Animation with Motion Builder. His passion for teaching also can be seen in the wide range of students that he tutors one-on-one on a regular basis.

Josh graduated with honors from the the Art Institute of California in San Francisco, where he worked both as an academic tutor and as a teaching assistant for the Level Design course, instructing the Life Drawing Workshops. He has worked in the games industry for three years with the Stanford Virtual World project and with Mondo Studios as a freelance level designer. Since 2008, Josh has instructed DMA students on Game Design with both Maya and 3D Studio Max. In his free time Josh enjoys making his own casual puzzle games, reading, or exploring the sights of San Francisco.

Grant is a 3D Generalist and Motion Editor who is currently working on TV commercials and brand design in Manhattan. In his free time he enjoys3D modeling and creating amazing characters in Maya. For several summers, Grant has taught Next-Generation video game design with the Unreal Tournament III Engine in Boston and Washington D.C.

Grant looks forward to the future of computer animation and its application in the industry. He would enjoy seeing 3D display (e.g. James Cameron’s Avatar) in our everyday lives, from smart phones to TV and gaming. In the future Grant would like to work on the West Coast, or internationally.

“I wish Digital Media Academy had existed when I was a teen. I love the class atmosphere, the advanced learning techniques, and the friendships that the students and their instructor leave with.”

Geoffrey is a freelance animator and designer. After receiving his undergraduate degree in Animation from the University of the Arts, Geoffrey worked for the MIT Media Lab, creating animation for research into artificial intelligence and robotics. He has also worked for firms creating museum exhibits, character-based web interactive, and web-to-tv convergence properties. For the past six years, he has been an Assistant Professor at Philadelphia University, where he is founder and coordinator of the animation program. Geoffrey is one of only a handful of Autodesk Certified Instructors in Maya, and he leads workshops on 3D animation to teachers, media professionals, and kids.

“I love the intense, hands-on approach of both the Professional and the Teen DMA classes. This approach allows me to work closely with the students to create the best possible work, work they can be proud to show their colleagues, families, and friends at the week’s end.”

Aaron is an accomplished artist, author, and educator. In addition to writing three books on 3D graphics, Aaron has seven years’ experience teaching at the college level. He holds a Master of Fine Arts from the CalArts School of Film/Video, and a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. His commercial video and animation work has been broadcast on several major TV networks, including CNN and Fox. In his spare time, Aaron creates abstract animation and video art, which has been screened at prestigious festivals and venues such as SIGGRAPH, ISEA, and the Exploratorium in San Francisco.

James is a university instructor of 3D art and design. After short stints working as a cel animator and a web designer, James joined the video game industry in 2000. With almost ten years of experience in games, he has touched every aspect of the game development pipeline. James created art for successful franchises such as Mortal Kombat, Karaoke Revolution, Blitz the League, and NBA Ballers, and directed the creation of projects like Game Party 2 for the Wii. James now instructs students at both DePaul University and Columbia College in the Chicago area, where he focuses on building the next generation of game artists.

“The Digital Media Academy programs are exactly the sort of classes I would have jumped at as a teenager! It is exciting to be able to share what I know and to work with teens to create this sort of experience for them.”

Chris is an artist and educator in the fields of traditional fine art and digital 2D/3D arts. Currently he teaches at the Art Institute of San Francisco in the Game Art and Design Department, the Academy of Art Interior Architecture Department, and at DMA, where he teaches Game Creation courses. Chris’ industry projects include video game interface designs for Vampire the Masquerade, RuneQuest, and other titles. Away from the computer, Chris enjoys painting murals, sculpting clay, and family time in the Bay Area with his wife and daughter.

Now going on his fourth summer with DMA, Chris teaches students how to use the latest digital tools for creating memorable games, environments and characters. Chris is continually amazed at how fast the younger generation of gamers can learn tools that took him years to grasp.

“DMA’s summer program is a real treat for me. I’m fortunate to teach bright and eager minds from all over the globe each year. In one week, DMA students absorb the equivalent of a full semester of college-level game art and design. It’s truly amazing.”

Stephen is a graduate of the Art Institute of San Francisco, majoring in 3D modeling and animation. Since then, Stephen has taught for the past two summers for DMA and has done freelance graphic design elements for various companies. Currently, Stephen is working for a high-end jeweler, aiding the company with custom designing as well as the overall aesthetic look for the company.

“Being creative is what drives me. Working for DMA surrounded by young individuals who share this desire is what makes this company so special.”

Nick loves anything to do with computers.  He is a 3D artist, graphic designer, audio engineer and computer engineer.  He graduated from the Center for Digital Imaging Arts in 3D Animation and currently attends Boston University for Computer Engineering.  He currently works at the Apple Store on Boylston Street in Boston where he teaches workshops and personal lessons to both professionals and novices.  In addition to his courses at DMA, he has worked at Harvard University and for Brickyard VFX, as well as for several start-up game companies in the Boston area.  Eventually he plans to move to California to begin working more extensively in the gaming industry.

For the past two summers Nick taught 3D Game Creation using 3DS Max and Unreal III for DMA at Harvard University, and 3D Animation (Blender), 2D Animation, and 2D Game Creation (Adobe Flash) for the Robotech Center at the Museum of Science (2008).  Before that, he was a camp counselor at Camp Dudley in the Adirondacks and a hockey instructor for Garry Hebert Hockey.

More than anything, Nick loves to learn!  He is always going out of his way to find the latest ways to innovate and create.  He cannot wait to pass on his enthusiasm and knowledge to his classes this summer.

“Learning 3D media was the greatest experience of my life and provided me with seemingly endless opportunities. I only wish it didn’t take me until the end of high school to get started! DMA will give you that opportunity!”

Sean is an educator, game developer, and photographer living just outside of Houston, TX. For the last eight years, Sean has taught animation art and design to both high school and college students. Currently, he is an instructor at Lone Star College–North Harris in Houston, teaching courses on 3D animation and modeling & rendering.

Sean is also art director at Revelation Interactive, an independent game development company he co-founded. Their first game title, “Treasure Hunter Namirah,” is currently in production.

When he is not teaching, working on his game, or spending time with his family, Sean grabs his skateboard and heads to the nearest skate park for a little fun.

“What keeps me coming back as a DMA instructor year after year is the care and attention to detail that DMA gives to young learners. There’s a great deal of value and quality to the DMA experience that is unsurpassed. Students have an opportunity not only to learn digital content creation at the professional level, but to establish lasting relationships with people who could one day be their colleagues.”

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Instructors for Teen Programming & Robotics

Cristobal Baray

Cris has joint Ph.D. degrees in Computer Science and Cognitive Science, completed while on a National Science Foundation robotics fellowship. His thesis work focused on the emergent behavior in multi-agent systems – specifically how communication systems benefit the agents. Out of school, he worked at a startup company focused on natural language interfaces for wireless applications. Currently, Cris is the engineering manager at Yahoo! Sports, enjoying the benefits of having to watch sporting events for “work.” He develops realtime applications in Flash, allowing users to follow live games across the nation from their computers.

And now, with a 2 year-old son, he’s fully understanding the challenges that artificial intelligence research faces. “But that just makes it more fun!”

Timothy Jordan works at Google and has been teaching computers and technology for more than twelve years. He has long held the belief that engineering is the art of solving problems for the betterment of humanity. As such, from web engineering to software engineering to hardware engineering, he hopes to give as many people as possible the tools they need to play their part in changing the world.

Timothy holds a BS in Computer Engineering, a graduate degree in Theater Arts, and an MFA in Digital Arts and New Media. He is fluent in over six programming languages but regularly uses about fifteen. His favorites include ActionScript, C++, Python, Java, and Scheme.

Mike Dawson is a game industry veteran who has worked as a producer and designer. Mike has always believed in throwing himself into his work, and he did so literally with the award-winning adventure game Darkseed. In the game, the player becomes the main character named “Mike Dawson” and directs the digitized images of Mike (yes, the real Mike Dawson) in order to save the human race from an evil collective of ancient aliens bent on invasion. In real life, however, Mike is the author of two books on computer games and programming: Beginning C++ Game Programming and Python Programming for the Absolute Beginner. He currently teaches Introduction to Game Programming at UCLA Extension and earned his BS degree in Computer Science from the University of Southern California. To learn more about Mike’s work, visit his website at www.programgames.com.

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Instructors for Teen Web Design, Flash, Digital Photography & Photoshop

Tom Tuttle

Tom teaches a variety of fun and entertaining classes in digital photography, Adobe Photoshop, and low-tech web design. His creative, easygoing approach makes learning the tools more inspiring and memorable, based on the premise that technology doesn’t have to be hard. Tom is a nationally-recognized author, photographer and digital imaging specialist. He has produced eight travel books, a stock photo CD-ROM and a stock photo web site: www.metaphotos.com.

Tom is an Adobe Photoshop Certified Expert, a distinguished presenter at national digital media conferences, and an enthusiastic instructor. He has taught digital imaging technology since 1994 at Santa Barbara City College, the University of California, and the American Film Institute. He has a BA degree from the Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara and has worked for 20th Century Fox, NASA, AT&T, American Express, Ford Motors, and many high-tech clients in Silicon Valley.

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Instructors for Teen Action Sports & Media Combination

Scott Taylor

With an extensive background in video production, music, and skateboarding, Scott Taylor takes pride in the ability to share his knowledge and experience with his students through DMA’s many digital media courses.

After earning a bachelors degree in Education with a minor in Video Production, Scott began traveling the world and working within the skateboard industry. Scott spent four years as the online editor for Skateboarder Magazine, and he has since gone on to work for the Tony Hawk Foundation and DC Shoes. He is currently working with Flow Snowboards in a multimedia capacity. Scott held a ranking in the pro division of the world cup skateboard series in the early 2000s, and has been featured in numerous skate videos and magazines. He currently can be found riding at local SoCal skate parks, when he’s not busy playing music at local venues or laying track at his home studio.

“DMA gives students a chance to have fun, be creative, and enjoy a summer they’ll never forget.”

Chris has a passion for presenting action sports and nature imagery to those who love outdoor sports. His accomplishments include serving as contributing still frame photographer for Surfing Magazine and Transworld Surf, and his work has appeared in several publications, including National Geographic Online. Chris also runs a wedding photography and portrait business, to which he recently has added videography.

“Putting together my love for surfing and filmmaking has created a very rewarding marriage between two of my favorite pastimes. Seeing parents watch their kids learning how to surf from their own Final Cut production is both a challenging and a rewarding experience.”

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Instructors for Kids/Adventures Program Digital Filmmaking/Acting

Lisa Ratner

Lisa is a freelance video editor and web designer. Her media work experience with Sony Pictures Television, PBS, and Bay Area Video Coalition, coupled with her BA in Media Studies from Scripps College, have shaped Lisa’s storytelling, aesthetic, and technical sensibilities. Recently, Lisa started her own home movie editing service, Memories Edited, and also specializes in producing fundraising web videos for nonprofits. Lisa is excited to return to teach at DMA because she is passionate about encouraging students to explore a deeper appreciation for the magic of movies.

“I have worked at summer camps for over six years, and DMA stands out in that it is fun and engaging while providing current and advanced technology training — incredibly valuable skills to get at such a young age. I certainly would have begged my parents to send me here.”

Ross studied at NYU where he received his Masters degree with a focus on Multimedia. Since graduating he has been involved in many aspects of filmmaking and game design, including producing, writing, directing, acting, videography, editing, sound design and composing. In 2006 he produced and directed what was dubbed the first web-based reality show, “13 Weeks.” He has worked on several award-winning films and games, including the Best Short Film at Sundance 2009, “Short Term 12″. Ross has taught video, audio, and general filmmaking courses at The Studio Academy in San Diego, and has tutored students of media at NYU and UCSD.

“Teaching at DMA is an amazing experience. It’s such a great environment and I can’t say enough good things about the faculty, staff and students!”

Kristina began her career as an actress on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns, earning two Daytime Emmy nominations. With an interest in production, she attended and received her Masters in Professional Writing from the University of Southern California. Since that time, Kristina has directed for television and film, including CBS’s As the World Turns and the short film “Juche Rules.” As a writer, she has completed three feature-length screenplays and a children’s novel. With her technical computer skills, Kristina works as a web designer and web producer, creating numerous websites and videos for the Internet through her business KR Media & Designs.

“I love what I do, which is why I love teaching it. DMA is the perfect fit for me as an instructor. It is so exciting to watch the kids in the DMA Adventures program be so creative as they learn and grow as artists.”

Mara is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Social Documentation at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She is in the post-production stages of her documentary film Bienvenido! which tells the story of a 13-year-old boy who is slipping through the cracks of the New York City public education system. Before pursuing a career in documentary filmmaking, Mara received a Master’s of Science in Teaching while she taught English as a Second Language in New York City. She has enjoyed teaching for DMA for the past two summers as an Adventures in Filmmaking Instructor, as it lets her pursue her passions for media-making and working with young people.

“I enjoy taking a step back in my DMA Adventures classes to watch the endless realm of creative possibilities unfold as the young people in the room take charge of their video projects.”

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Instructors for Kids/Adventures Program 2D and 3D Game Design & Game Modding

Ben Jaffe

Ben has been creating media of all types for the last ten years. Although his focus has been on video, audio, and graphics, he also has enjoyed designing the sound for numerous theatrical productions. His experience includes live sound mixing, filming, video and audio editing, compositing, web design, and graphic design. Currently, Ben is freelancing and teaching with various organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is also a jazz musician and plays piano and clarinet regularly. On Saturday mornings, he cohosts GeekSpeak, a radio show and podcast about science and technology on KUSP, Central Coast Public Radio. When Ben is not teaching, you can find him riding his bike, baking desserts, reading and playing music. He is usually smiling.

“Digital Media Academy is unlike any other teaching experience I’ve been a part of. The staff, instructors, and students are all exciting and unique, and everyone learns from everyone!”

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Instructors for Kids Program Robotics & Programming

Caroline Eibling

After graduating from UC San Diego with a Masters in Education and undergraduate degrees in Communications and Political Science, Caroline taught in a variety of public school classrooms throughout San Diego and Orange County. Most recently Caroline could be found teaching a combined 1st and 2nd grade class at an Innovative Charter School in Encinitas, California. Working with the DMA Robotics program at UCLA last year, Caroline was thrilled to combine her ever-growing interest in technology with her passion for teaching. Excited to be back with DMA this year, Caroline will bring her experience as a classroom teacher and her passion for technology. When Caroline isn’t teaching, she can be found rock climbing or running around near the beach.

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